Did Jesus Really Die?
Text:
Mark 15:44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
Introduction: Jesus died by crucifixion:
“Crucifixion is a method of deliberately slow and painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead. “The length of time required to reach death could range from a matter of hours to a number of days, depending on exact methods, the prior health of the condemned, and environmental circumstances. Death could result from any combination of causes, including blood loss, hypovolemic shock, or sepsis following infection, caused by the scourging that preceded the crucifixion, or by the process of being nailed itself, or eventual dehydration. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
What is crucifixion? A medical doctor provides a physical description: The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place.
The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain–the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.
Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over–the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level–the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues–the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through is tissues. . .Finally he can allow his body to die.
All this the Bible records with the simple words, “And they crucified Him.” (Mark 15:24). What wondrous love is this?
Adapted from C. Truman Davis, M.D. in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol. 8.
*According to this text, Pilate marveled that Jesus was so soon dead. And by doing so he gave testimony to the fact of Jesus’ death!
The actual, physical death of Christ is absolutely necessary if His gospel is to have any redeeming value at all! Religious liberals and modernistic detractors have for years tried to destroy or deny this vital teaching, claiming that Jesus merely “swooned” on the cross and later revived in the tomb, appearing at different times to His followers who then falsely claimed His resurrection from the dead.
*Without considering those who may or may not have had a vested interest in Jesus’ life and ministry; people like:
• His family
• His disciples
• His friends
*Consider with me the testimony of:
I The Roman guards.
Mark 15:15-20 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.
And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,
And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
II The Cyrenian.
Mark 15:21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
III The executioner.
Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
IV The centurion.
Mark 15:39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
* Consider the testimony of:
V The thieves.
Mark 15:27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
VI The mocking passers-by.
Mark 15:29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
Mark 15:30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
VII The chief priests and scribes.
Mark 15:31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
VIII The Roman governor.
Mark 15:44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
Conclusion: Surely these testimonies are enough to convince the worst skeptic of the credibility of Jesus having died on the cross for sinners!
From Death to Life
An old preacher was once heard preaching on a village green in New England. He had lived on the American prairies, and his illustrations had a powerful fascination for those who heard them. He told of a prairie fire and he described the way the Indians saved their wigwams from the blaze by setting fire to the dry grass immediately adjoining the settlement. “The fire cannot come,” he cried, “where the fire has already been. That is why I call you to the Cross. Judgment has already fallen there and can never come again. He who takes his stand at the cross is safe evermore. He can never come into condemnation; he is passed from death unto life. He is at perfect peace in God’s safety zone. —Boreham, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Bulletin.